The Brewers and speedster Eric Young, Jr. are in agreement on a minor league contract with an invite to Major League Spring Training, tweets ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick. The MVP Sports Group client will receive a $1MM salary plus incentives if he makes the big league roster, Crasnick adds.
Young, 30, spent the 2015 season with the Braves and Mets, hitting just .153/.217/.247 in 94 Major League plate appearances but .249/.351/.315 in 307 PAs at the Triple-A level. Young doesn’t have much power in his bat, but his speed is a game-changer; the second-generation big leaguer led the National League with 46 stolen bases back in 2013, and he’s swiped 144 bags in 179 tries at the Major League level. Young has experience at second base and in the outfield, but he’s seen most of his recent work in left field and center field. He’ll presumably compete for a bench spot in Milwaukee, where his father spent the 2002-03 seasons in the later stages of his 15-year Major League career.
Great inexpensive deal for a rebuilding team.
I think the Brewers could use him as utility man and pinch runner next year
What good is speed if the guy cannot find his way to 1B? Pinch hitter? Really? .153 last year in the MLB and that is a pinch hitter? Pinch runner? For a $1M? Paying pinch runners a $1M? Pinch runners are the LAST thing the Brewers need.
Agreed, but it is only a minor league deal
The only thing the Brewers are concerned about in 2016 is putting nine men on the field every game. They could care less if they produce or not (it’s actually better if they don’t–higher draft pick). The Brewers are playing for 2018-2020.
He’s still a decent backup option for them even if he’s not exciting. Spoiler alert, Brewers aren’t competing in 2016 anyway. Carter and Alvarez are two guys they could get cheaply for 1B, then they could flip the one they sign at the deadline if he regains a bit of value.
Defensive replacement in the late innings maybe???
Probably more like AAA insurance. He’s not really good defensively anyway.
Not a bad pickup. I’m a little surprised we haven’t seen more of this from the Brewers yet this off season. Guys like EY can potentially be flipped at the trade deadline on 1 year deals to contending teams if they have a nice season. Otherwise if for nothing else, this is a very low risk deal for a rebuilding team that isn’t trying to win in 2016 anyways.